I

County government office, punishment room.

An old official came with a booklet in his hand, and said in a flattering tone, "Young master, this is the Law of the Ming Dynasty."

"Thank you sir." Zhao Han took it with both hands.

The old official smiled and said, "I dare not be."

Leisure all day, very boring, Zhao Han thought about getting a copy of "Law of the Ming Dynasty".

Firstly, it can pass the time, secondly, it is familiar with recalling traditional Chinese characters, and thirdly, it is to understand the legal common sense of the Ming Dynasty.

The officials of the county government couldn't figure out Zhao Han's details. Some people thought he was Fei Yinghuan's junior, while others thought he was Wang Yongshi's junior. Anyway, they were quite respectful to Zhao Han, and acquiesced in allowing him to come and go in every room of the county government at will.

The fox pretends to be the tiger, and Zhao Han got the samadhi!

As for the matter of the book boy, of course Zhao Han didn't discuss it with his younger sister, Zhao Zhenfang would definitely say "I listen to my second brother".

Being a house slave for others, as long as he is not abused, he actually has no psychological burden.

At least it's better than being a beggar. In two or three months, it will be winter. In the Little Ice Age, the winter in the south may not be easy. What if the little girl gets sick and has a fever?

As long as I can grow up to be an adult, I can't just leave when the time comes!

Will fugitive slaves become black households?

Hehe, I am a refugee in the first place, so I don't seem to have lost anything.

What's more, Daming is about to end, and when the time comes, there will be refugees all over the place, and maybe he can do a big business.

Being an obedient citizen under the rule of the Qing Dynasty, Zhao Han thought he didn't have that kind of blessing, and his hairstyle with the money rat tail was too ugly. It is necessary to fight. It is best to succeed. If you fail, you will become a monk, or take your younger sister into exile overseas.

The reason why he didn't agree to Fei Yinghuan immediately was purely because he wanted to wait for Wang Yongshi to come back. What if Wang Zhixian could provide better conditions?

...

Sitting in the punishment room, Zhao Han opened "Law of the Ming Dynasty".

The opening chapter is a preface written by Zhu Yuanzhang himself, explaining the original intention and significance of promulgating the "Law of the Ming Dynasty", followed by the etiquette of mourning for the elders.

There are five clothes for funerals: chopping, Qishui, great work, small work, and hemp.

In fact, it is based on the closeness of the deceased, and the style of each mourning dress is different.

It's not difficult for Zhao Han to guess, but there are still some terms that he can't understand, so he can only ask the old official in the punishment room: "Sir, stepmother, adoptive mother, aunt, biological mother, concubine, I can understand all these. Who is the loving mother in particular?"

The old official explained patiently: "The aunt or biological mother died of illness, and the child was brought up by the father's concubine. This concubine is the son's loving mother."

"I see." Zhao Han suddenly realized.

Judicial terms are indeed different from common sayings, and must be answered by professionals.

After Zhao Han finished reading the "Chapter on Clothing System", he had to lament the cumbersome etiquette.

For example, if a concubine can give birth to a son, the husband's other children must call this concubine "concubine". If you can't have a son, you don't have the qualifications to be a "concubine" and you don't get the family status you deserve. It is true that mother depends on child!

Looking down, Zhao Han suddenly regained his spirits.

Good guy, Ling Chi chapter!

Moreover, there are quite a few Lingchi entries, and it's not just some serious crime of treason.

If there is no reason to kill a family of three or more, the presiding judge can directly sentence Ling Chi. Children and grandchildren who beat their elders to death can also be sentenced to Lingchi.

The elder is dead, take in the elder's wives and concubines, and ask to beheaded!

Brother died, take in sister-in-law or sister-in-law, hang!

Zhao Han asked the old official: "Sir, I'm afraid you won't really be sentenced to hang for taking in brothers, sisters-in-law and daughters-in-law?"

The old official laughed and said: "The law is dead, but people are alive. If the family is poor, the brother dies and the wife is widowed. It is difficult to raise the children, and the younger brother has no money to marry a wife. So what if it is a married woman? Everyone is happy. If you don’t raise it, you won’t be investigated by officials.”

You can also listen to this in reverse, the younger brother accepted his sister-in-law, which violated the etiquette, if the people raise it, the official will investigate!

Looking further down, Zhao Han was a little scared.

Beating brothers, sisters or elders within four servings, and those who are seriously injured, regardless of the reason, will be hanged!

The "Law of the Ming Dynasty" is indeed harsh.

During the day, he only finished reading three chapters in the punishment room. Zhao Han held the law books and planned to take them to the county government office to continue reading.

Before leaving, Zhao Han suddenly asked: "Excuse me, sir, where is the Yinan (servant) from?"

The old official was stunned for a moment, and explained in detail: "The household registration is divided into principal and deputy. The adoptive son who lives with the master is attached to the principal household of the master's family and is regarded as the descendant of the master's family. The sub-households of the family are regarded as the servants of the master's house. In addition, if the adopted men and daughters are not adopted for a long time, they are also regarded as the servants of the master's house."

Zhao Han frowned and said, "What is a hired worker?"

The old official explained: "It's hard to tell. Hired workers are between good and cheap. Bad and not cheap, good and cheap. During the employment period, they are cheap, attached to the master's family, and their status is even worse than that of domestic slaves. If the employment contract is terminated , can be turned into a good citizen, and the descendants can also participate in the imperial examination."

Well, Zhao Han immediately opened his eyes.

This hired worker is not another hired worker, and belongs to the legal term of Ming Dynasty. It is commonly known as "hired slave" among the people, and it is not an ordinary worker in society.

Hired workers are not regarded as their own by the masters, so they are often treated harshly, and even domestic slaves can bully them. But at least there is still a thought, there is no need to change the surname of the ancestors, and the descendants can still participate in the imperial examination normally!

In theory, when the employment period expires, the employee is free to leave.

But in reality, hired workers will be treated harshly by their masters, and they will not be able to save much money at all. Without financial ability, of course, it is impossible to talk about self-reliance, and it is better to be a domestic slave honestly.

"Thank you sir for your enlightenment." Zhao Han held the "Law of the Ming Dynasty" and walked towards the county government house.

...

Wang Yongshi went back to the county seat, but he seldom went back to the county government office.

This gentleman was so bold that he withheld the collected summer grain and refused to send it to the Hejian Mansion to hand it over. Instead, the money and food were used to relieve the victims of the disaster in the county, and Shangshu asked the emperor to reduce or exempt taxes.

If taxes are not handed over, it will be difficult to pass the performance assessment.

Wang Yongshi is taking his own future to save the lives of countless disaster victims!

Not only that, he also coerced the prestige of beheading the chief bookkeeper and eliminating thieves, forcing grain merchants to stabilize grain prices, and forcing big households to donate money and grain. For a while, the gentry boiled and complained.

With money and food and people, Wang Yongshi built an official warehouse and lent food seeds to the victims.

The victims who really had no land to cultivate, implemented the "work relief" method, let them repair the county town, and then dredged the canals to rebuild the abandoned Tangguantun Post Station.

In this way, he was so busy that Wang Zhixian had already forgotten about Zhao Han.

Even Fei Yinghuan saw Wang Yongshi again after half a month.

Wang Yongshi was exhausted and haggard, he seemed to be much older, he said with a smile: "Brother Dazhao, you are the son of a rich man, you live a leisurely and comfortable life."

Fei Yinghuan sighed, "Oh, Brother Qi Zhao, why do you do this? I'm afraid you won't be able to wear this black gauze hat until next year."

Wang Yongshi was a little helpless, but he could still laugh, pretending to be relaxed and said: "I am not destined to be an official, it is better to be dismissed and return to my hometown as soon as possible. Losing an official is better than thousands of people losing their lives. It’s a good deal. There is a saying in Buddhism that saving one’s life is better than building a seven-level pagoda. I have built a pagoda with 100,000 floors, so maybe my descendants can enjoy some blessings.”

Fei Yinghuan was speechless, he could only straighten his clothes and bow to Wang Yongshi to the end.

Wang Yongshi smiled and said: "I have sent my master to Hejian Mansion to deal with the magistrate and the imperial censor. I only hope that this official hat can be worn through next spring, so that the common people don't want to pick it up, and make trouble with their mothers again." A famine."

With a heavy heart, Fei Yinghuan said in shame, "Brother Qi Zhao cares about all people, so I'm not as good as that."

Wang Yongshi laughed suddenly: "Anyway, I, the county magistrate, got the money through other means. If you lose it, you lose it. It's just a loss of some money, and the right is to throw it to Yaojie in the brothel."

Fei Yinghuan was finally amused, and said with a smile: "Officials in the Ministry of Officials are indeed like sisters in the kiln. Anyone who gives enough money will not refuse."

Wang Yongshi smiled even more happily: "In this way, the Ministry of Officials is the number one brothel in the world!"

Fei Yinghuan jokingly said, "Shang Shu is the old bustard, and the servant is Gui Gong."

"Hahahahaha!" Wang Yongshi burst into tears with a smile, and suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Dazhao, I studied hard in the poor window, am I a bitch or a benefactor?"

Fei Yinghuan muttered, "Bitch."

Wang Yongshi said: "Even if I am a bitch, I will be Liang Hongyu."

Fei Yinghuan curled her lips and said, "Then I can at most be Su Xiaoxiao."

"Su Xiaoxiao is enough," Wang Yongshi said angrily, "there are more officials in the world than whores, and it is not easy to be a famous prostitute for a generation."

The two had a long talk, and finally just sat in the tower and drank.

The sun falls.

Fei Yinghuan patted his buttocks and got up, cupped his fists and said, "Brother Qi Zhao, brother Yu is here to say goodbye."

"When are you leaving?" Wang Yongshi asked.

Fei Yinghuan said, "I'll leave tomorrow."

Wang Yongshi said: "I wish you a smooth journey."

Fei Yinghuan said: "I plan to accept the boy who offers strategies to defeat the enemy. He will not reply. He probably has been waiting to see you."

Wang Yongshi frowned and said, "Why take advantage of others' danger?"

Fei Yinghuan said: "It's true that I take advantage of people's danger, but my Fei family has declined to this point, and Quanzi is a born idiot. If I die one day, Quanzi will not be able to hold on to the Fei family business in Ehu, and sooner or later it will be swallowed up by other clans. I have to leave my son with a life-saving minister."

"Brother Dazhao also took great pains." Wang Yongshi expressed his understanding.

Fei Yinghuan said: "This son is very smart, and he will definitely not be a thing in the pool in the future. If he is really talented, I will help him to rise to the top and be a strong support for my Ehu Fei family. If he is only middle-class This capital can also assist the dog to guard the family business. It is not a loss in any way."

Wang Yongshi laughed and said: "You have a good plan. Forget it, I will send someone to give him twenty taels of silver, and help Brother Dazhao cut off his distracting thoughts." As he spoke, he teased and sneered, "Cultivate this son well. , maybe he can enter the cabinet as a prime minister, and when the time comes to marry him, won't your Qianshan Fei family be happy again?"

Fei Yinghuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Brother Qi Zhao, why bother to mock me?"

Wang Yongshi scolded: "You are a bastard, two people, plotting against a child. Shameless and shameless!"

Fei Yinghuan excused himself and said: "The calculation is the calculation, and it didn't hurt the sky. It even saved the lives of their brothers and sisters."

"If it weren't for this, I wouldn't help you," Wang Yongshi couldn't help but swear, "Although you are a naughty bastard, you still have a bit of conscience. It's not like a beast in the dynasty, whose conscience has been eaten by dogs !"

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